Hosiery



Sept. 8, 1936.. W J. LONG-[1N 2,054,059

` t HosIERY original Filed July 19, 1954 Wc'llam JLozztgl'i,

10 wearing normal position.

Patented Sept. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicl-:l

nosmnr William J. Longtin, Reading, lla., assigner to Infant Socks Company, Reading, lla., a corporation of Delaware 19 Claims.

This application is a division of application Serial Number 736,087 filed July 19, 1934:.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a section in enlarged detail-of atubular rib wrap design top having an inlaid rubber or elastic yarn garter,

Fig. 2 is a view of a stocking or anklet showing .the general location of the garters, the rib top being unfolded and Fig. 3 is asimilar view with the top folded to In the manufacture of tubular rib wrap tops of the type shown, by Way of example,I in Larkin Patent 1,772,400 and made upon the Larkin machine Patent 1,841,249, a wrap design thread land a linger for the same is provided for each -cylinder needle, the design depending upon the wrapping or the non-wrapping of the design thread bythe linger around the associated needle. In providing an inlay elastic thread, which may be of the type known commercially 'as Lastex or of any other type, to act as a garter in the completed article, there must be no interference between the design threads and the elastic yarn in the article and no interference between the operation of the fingers and the elastic yarn inlay mechanism in the machine.`

From the preceding paragraph it will be 0bvious that the problem solved by my invention relates to wrap design threads as incorporated into fabric-formed by the needles, the design threads being of the type known as wrap threads. In the Larkin patents the wrap threads are associated with the cylinder needles, al-

though the machine makes rib fabric. If the rib needles vwere omitted the same problem of associating the elastic vthread with the wrap threads and the `fabric formed by the cylinder needles would still be present and the machine would knit plain fabric. In the VLarkin patents the wrap threads are ofthe type that extend vertically in a singlel Wale. However it will be obvious that my invention is applicable to design threads which extend diferently with respect to the wales. For instance the design threads may extend horizontally or may extend horizontally for several wales in a Icourse and then extend vertically for the same or other walesin an adjacent course. 'I'his type of wrap design is shown in the patent to Lawsoi 1,702,608 in which a group of wrap threads -each are associated with a certain group of needles. In Lawson a wrap thread may form a design 'upon the ground fabric by knitting in plating relation to the ground fabric at aselected needle -wales in (ci. ca -172) or needles in a course and also at other selected needle or needles in the same course, the intervening needle or needles knitting the ground fabric only, the wrap thread extending as a oat along the course between the points at which it is knitted and 'extending vertically from course to course.

My invention is applicablev to all types of wrap design fabric whether of the single Wale wrap of Larkin, the multiple wale wrap of Lawson or -any other type of true or mock wrap design fabrics. Mock wrap designs are made by what is known as float thread plating.

A further object of my invention in the use of elastic yarn in patterned tubular stocking fabric in addition to the garter effect created by the use of the elastic yarn is to draw the patterned wales into close proximity with each other. In rib fabric the dial wales intervene between the plain or cylinder wales and to a certain extent are visible between the plain wales. Therefore when selected stitchesof the plain wales are ornamented by the design stitches, the pattern effect created by the designs upon the selected stitches in the plain wales is often marred by the visible intervening dial wales. However with the use of the tensioned elastic yarn these plain wales are brought into very close proximity with each other, so that they practically are in physical contact, thus creating a unitary pattern effect of the selected design stitches in the nonadjacent plain wales. It will be understood that the rib fabric or its equivalent is necessary for a stocking top, as it allows for expansion and contraction, qualities deemed necessary for the stocking top. In other types of fabrics such as plain, not rib, which are the equivalent in physical properties of rib fabric, that fabric must also be capable of vcontraction and expansion in order to perform the same functions as rib fabric in a. stocking top. These plain fabrics in order to have these qualities are madev with certain spaced recurrent plain wales extending or held forwardly and the intervening rib fabricandzto provide -a physical structure which will-allowfor the fabric expansion necessary toa stai'alii-'ng top. One way of holding the plain wales in this relationship to each otheris bymeans of tensioned elastic thread as shown in the British patent to Sturgess et al. Number 4,418 of 1886. The elastic thread provides the used to simulate the appearance of and act asplain fabric is intended to simulate the spaced recurrent plain wales vextending or held 1 contractile quality. It will also be apparent with the use of my invention that in the plain fabric simulating rib fabric that such plain fabrics may be-ornamented to give a unitary design e'iect by ornamenting selected stitches with additional threads or otherwise, in the spaced nonadjacent l forwardly .extending plain wales and that the close proximity of these wales will create this eiiect.

The mechanism whereby the combination of rib wrap tops or fabric and elastic yarn garter inlay may be made is shown in application Serial, Number 736,088 led July 19, 1934. As

clearly shown in said application 'the elastic yarn is placed in the fabric under a certain amount of tension.

The wrap design elastic yarn garter inlay4 tubular rib tops may be used on infants socks or hosiery or uponA full length socks or hosiery. It may be used at any place where tubular rib fabric may have a function such as in sweaters, etc.

In Fig. 42 an infants sock is shown having the plain foot I and the rib top 2 joined to the foot 1 I Yat A3 in the usual manner. At 4, 5 and 6 are shown elastic yarn inlays of a number of courses,

here shown as three, which depending upon the strength of the garter desired, may b e of any suitable number of one or more courses. The garter inlays may be placed wherever desired, that is' only at 4, 5 or 6 or at any combination of these or other places. The rib top 2 is of the folding over type, folding on line I to provide the top as shown in Fig. 3 having the wrap design Cil indicated /at a onthe outer face. The folded over the inlay'4 is shown diagrammatically in Fig. -3 as being as prominent as inlays 5 and 6, actually thevwrap design threads aid in concealing the inlay from view. 'Ihe inlays 5 and 6 are not themselves prominent due to the coverage by the outsideV wales andthe design threads makes the yarn I'I. The body yarn may be changed for horizontal striping 'as in said Larkin Patent 1,772,400. The wrap design threads of the single wale type are shown in course I8 at wales 9, Il, and I2 at 23, 24, and 25. At certain courses the wraprthreads are plated on the body stitches, as for example in course I8 at wale 9, and in other courses the wrap threads are oated in back of the body stitches, as forl example in course I9 at Wale 9. This is well known as disclosed in the said Larkin patent. When other types of extra design thread fabrics are used the oats will vary with each such type of fabric.

The elastic thread inlayis shown at 26 extending horizontally between the outside and inside rib wales and being substantially hidden-v thereby. The beginning end portion of the elastic thread is securely anchored by means of interknitting as single or unplated stitches 21 and 28 with the adjacent outside body yarn stitches of courses I8 and I9 in wales I0 and II. Like- -Wise the end portion of the rubber or elastic thread is` anchored by stitches 29 and 30 between the courses 2| and' 2-2 of the b'ody yarn in wales I 0 and II. It is obvious that the elastic thread top conceals the inlays 5 and 6, and while stitches may be in more than two wales if desired, to give additional security in anchoring the ends. It is also obvious that the end portions of the elastic thread'may be anchored `in other ways, for example the stitches 2'I and 28 and 29 and A3|), instead'of being single yarn stitches interknitted between body yarn stitches in the wales I0 and II, may be plated over the appropriate body yarn stitches in which .case the body and the elastic threads are knitted together.

Other ways in which the elastic thread may the design threads are shown in the British patent to Sturgess et al. Number.4,418 of 1886, and in Lawson 1,843,086; In Sturgess. the elastic thread is f ed to the needles so that it'falls below the opened latches of the needles and is cast off unknit when the main yarn is knitted. In Sturgess the elastic thread is so fed to spaced apart needles and passes to the rear of in between needles. 'I'he elastic thread may also be incorporated by feeding the same to spaced apart needles to be knitted by those needles, instead of being cast oil' unknit as in Sturgess'. This means that the needles taking the elastic thread do so in their hooks or certainly on their latches. The in between'needles do not take the thread which passes to the rear of the same.

It will be obvious that the elastic thread may be incorporated in the base fabric, whether rib or plain, in many ways and that the base fabric may be ornamented by'many types of wrap or design forming threads andl I have combined these in the same fabric without interference with each other or with the base fabric. It will also be obvious that by means of the tensioned elastic yarn that the spaced design wales are brought into close proximity with each other to give a unitary design eifect. r

In wales 9, II, and I2 it will be seen that the wrap' threads extend in back of the elastic inlays, both when iioating in unknitted relation to the body stitches and also when passing from one body stitch to an adjacent one i'n plated relation thereto, as particularly shown in Wale l2. This binds the elastic inlay' securely between the wrap thread and the outside rib wales.

In Fig. 1 is shown the relation of the elastic inlay tothe rib stitches and to the wrap thread stitches in a design portion of the rib top such as at 4. At both 5 and 6, where the wrap designs are absent, the relation of the elastic inlay to the rib stitches `is similar to that shown in Fig. `1, and with \the exception of the absence; of the wrap threads, is in all other respects identical therewith. Y

It will also be apparent that I have provided a novel method of anchoring elastic inlaid thread so as to prevent the same from creeping along the courses, I refer to thev extra single yarn stitches of elastic thread.

1. A tubular stocking having a top voi weft ground fabric` comprising Wales and courses, the combination therewith f rdesign'threads forming wrap designs on said ground fabric at selected stitches of alternate wales and an elastic thread under tension incorporated unknit in said ground fabric at the rear of said alternate wales, said elastic thread drawing said alternate wales into close proximity with each other, said elastic thread also acting as a garter.

2. A- tubular stocking having a top of weft ground fabric comprising wales and courses, the

combination therewith of design threads forming wrap designs on said ground fabric at selected stitches of spaced wales and an elastic thread under tension incorporated unknit in said ground fabric at the rear of said spaced wales, said elastic thread drawing said spaced wales into close proximity with each other, said elastic thread alsov acting as a garter.

3. A tubular fabric knitted of a weft ground thread comprising wales and courses, the combination therewith of design threads forming Wrap designs on the ground fabric at selected stitches of selected spaced wales in selected courses and an elastic thread under tension incorporated unknit for one or more courses in said ground fabric, said elastic thread drawing said spaced wales into close proximity with each other.

4. A tubular stocking having a top of weft ground fabric comprising wales and courses knit entirely of a ground thread or threads, the combination therewith of design threads forming knit designs on said ground fabric at selected stitches of selected spaced wales in selected courses and an elastic thread under tension incorporated in the wales of the ground fabric, said elastic thread drawing said spaced wales into close proximity with each other.

5. A tubular stocking having a top of weft ground fabric comprising wales and courses knit entirely of a ground thread or threads, the combination therewith of design threads forming designs knitted on said ground fabric at selected stitches of selected spaced wales in selected courses, the design threads passing to the rear of the fabric as ioats between said selected stitches, and anelastic thread under tension incorporated coursewise in the wales of the ground fabric, said elastic thread drawing said spaced wales into close proximity with each other.

6. A tubular stocking 'having a topV of weft ground fabric comprising wales and courses knit entirely of a ground thread or threads, the combination therewith .of design threads forming wrap designs on said-ground fabric at selected stitches of selected spaced wales in selected courses, and an elasticthread under tension incorporated coursewise in the wales of the ground fabric, said elastic vthread drawing said spaced wales into close proximity with each other.

'7. A tubular stocking having a top of weft ground fabric comprising wales and courses knit entirely of a ground thread or threads, the combination therewith of design threads forming designs knitted on said ground fabric at selected stitches of spaced apart wales, the design threads passing to the rear oi' the fabric as oats be tween said selected stitches and an elastic thread incorporated coursewise in the wales of the ground fabric, said elastic thread passing behind said spaced wales and drawing the same into close proximity with each other.

8. A tubular stocking having a rio top coinprising outside and inside rib wales, the combination therewith of Wale threads forming wrap de signs on said outside wales and an elastic inlay extending between the rib wales for one or more courses, said elastic thread being under tension` Vprising outside rib and inside plain said outside wales into close proximity with each other.

1l. A tubular stocking having a rib top com.- prising outside and inside rib wales, the combination therewith of wale threads forming wrap designs on said outside wales and an elastic thread extending between the rib wales for one or more courses, the end portions of the elastic thread being interknitted as single yarn stitches Vwith the body stitches.

l2. A tubular stocking having a rib top comprising outside and inside rib wales, the combination therewith of Wale threads forming wrap designs on said outside wales and an elastic thread extending between the rib wales for one or more courses, an end portion of the elastic thread being interknitted with the body stitches by means of single yarn stitches.

13. A tubular stocking having a rib top comprising outside and inside rib wales, the combination therewith of Wale threads forming wrap designs on said outside wales for a plurality of courses and an elastic thread inlay extending between the rib wales in one or more of said courses, said elastic thread being under tension and drawing said outside wales into close proximity with each other.

14. A tubular rib top comprising outside and inside rib wales, the combination therewith of Wale threads forming wrap designs on said outside wales for a plurality of courses and an elastic thread inlay incorporated between the wales in one or more of said courses, said elastic thread being'under tension and drawing said outside wales into close proximity with each other.

15. A tubular stocking having a rib top comprising outside and inside rib wales, the combination therewith of Wale threads forming wrap designs on said outside wales for several courses and an elastic thread inlay incorporated between the wales in one or more of said courses, the float--I ed portions of said wale threads extending in back of said elastic thread, said elastic thread being under tension and drawing said outside wales into close proximity with each other.

v16. A tubular stocking having a rib top comwales, the combination therewith of wale threads forming wrap designs on said outside wales for a plurahty of courses and an elastic thread inlay incorporated between the wales in one or more of said courses, an end of .said elastic thread being anchoredy in the rib top, said elastic thread being under tension and drawing said outside wales into close proximity with each other.

17. A tubular stocking having a top of weft .ground fabric comprising wales and courses knit entirely of a ground thread or threads, the combination therewith of design threads forming wrap designs on said ground fabric at selected stitches of selected spaced wales in selected courses, and an elastic thread under tension incorporated coursewise in the wales of said ground fabric, an end of said elastic thread being anchored in the ground fabric, said elastic thread drawing said spaced wales into close proximity with each other.

18. A tubular stocking having a top of weft knitted ground fabric comprising wales and courses, the combination therewith of design threads. forming wrap designs on said ground fabvric at selected stitches of selected courses in selected nonadjacent wales and an elastic thread under tension incorporated unknit for .one or more courses in said ground fabric, said elastic thread drawing the said nonadjacent wales into close proximity with each other to form a unitary.

courses, the combination therewith` of an elastic thread under tension incorporated unknit for one or more courses in said ground fabric, said elastic thread drawing nonadjacent wales into close proximity with each other and wale threads forming wrap designs on said ground fabric at selected stitches of selected courses in selected nonadjacent wales.

WILLIAM J. LONGTIN.

DISCLAIMER 2,054,059.-Wl1',dm J.Lo1 z,gtin, Reading, Pa.. HosIERY. Patent dated September 8, A1936. Disclaimer led January 31, 1939, by the assignee, Infant Socks,

Inc. i Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 17, 18, and 19, inclusive.

[O c'al' Gazette March 28, 1939.] 

